“Breathing’s not easy when you’re underwater.”
Outbreak Festival has come a long way. What started as a DIY-rooted gathering for the hardcore faithful has become the go-to UK event for everything loud, emotional, and community-driven. Now heading into its 15th year, Outbreak’s not slowing down; they’re stepping it up again, bringing a mix of familiar faces and exciting newcomers to mark the milestone in true Outbreak fashion.
After recently confirming that the London edition will move to August 2026, the festival dropped a teaser counting down to Sunday at 6 p.m. for the first big reveal, and, as expected, speculation ran wild. A few predictions hit the mark, though, and with the first wave now out, a chunk of those rumours have been confirmed. If this is how they’re kicking things off, the rest of the rollout’s bound to get even bigger.
Headlining the anniversary year are none other than Alexisonfire, who’ll be performing Crisis in full. The band’s been riding high since their 2000Trees headline set earlier this year, and Outbreak’s clearly giving fans what they’ve been asking for: a return to their heavier, more hardcore-driven roots. Joining them are Basement, another longtime Outbreak favourite who’ve popped up across several editions. At this point, it wouldn’t quite feel like an Outbreak lineup without them.
Further down the bill, heavyweights Suicidal Tendencies, Hatebreed, Converge, and Trapped Under Ice bring serious legacy energy. Hatebreed’s inclusion feels especially timely, fresh off an intimate, no-phones show at Manchester’s Star & Garter, they’re set to dive deep into Satisfaction Is the Death of Desire and Perseverance, two records that shaped an entire generation of heavy music fans.
That’s just scratching the surface. Outbreak’s always been about balance, big names up top, and the undercard stacked with future classics and returning faces. Whether you’re into old-school metalcore, scramz, or the more melodic side of things, there’s something for everyone. Touche Amore are locked in to perform Stage Four in full, Haywire are bringing their high-energy chaos that’s been turning heads across the hardcore circuit, and February will be making their first-ever trip to the UK with their raw, DIY brand of scramz. It’s a lineup that screams range and intent, exactly what you expect from Outbreak at this point.
With this only being the first wave, there’s no doubt plenty more surprises still to come. If you’ve been before, you already know how special this one’s shaping up to be. If you haven’t, this might be the year that finally convinces you to grab a ticket.
Outbreak Festival 2026 runs 26th – 28th June at Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester.
Tickets go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. via the Outbreak SeeTickets site.